ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Publisher: Prof J Frantz
DVC: Researcher & Innovation at the University of the Western Cape
Writer: Tamara Goliath
Writer from the DVC: Researcher & Innovation (UWC)
Editor: Ms Gava Kassiem
Designers: Ms Melanie Snyders
Graphic Designer from the DVC: Researcher & Innovation
Ms Carla Lawrence
CDC Design
Financial Officer: The Office of the DVC: Researcher & Innovation at the University of the Western Cape
Ms Althea George
Manager from the DVC: Researcher & Innovation
Printing: Viking Print
Researchers:
Prof Bernard Bladergroen
Mr Ridaa Manuel
Mr Sibulelo Ganda
Mr Sphamandla Nqunqa
Ms Ashlyn Davids
Ms Siphokazi Tshoko
Mr Anelkha Nicholls
Dr Christina Fatti
Prof Christopher Arendse
Emeritus Professor Leslie Petrik
FOREWORD
PROF BERNARD J. BLADERGROEN
DEPUTY DIRECTOR: SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS CHEMISTRY UNIVERSITY
OF THE WESTERN CAPE
Water and energy are the foundation of life, dignity, and development. They are also at the heart of some of the greatest sustainability challenges facing humanity today, especially within rapidly urbanising, resource-constrained countries like South Africa. The demand for affordable power continues to rise. Cities expand and strain water systems. Pollution increases while ecosystems struggle to cope. And yet, despite these complex pressures, our collective future remains full of possibilities. To build that future, we must change not only what we innovate, but how we innovate.
The solutions our world now requires cannot be delivered through individual disciplines working in isolation. Engineers alone cannot solve the water crisis. Scientists alone cannot decarbonise society. Policy makers alone cannot create sustainable cities, and communities alone cannot change behaviours that have been shaped by decades of convenience and consumption. Transdisciplinary collaboration where academic fields blend with policy, industry, and society is no longer a luxury; it is the only viable pathway forward.
This edition of the eMagazine highlights that reality. Across the University of the Western Cape, our researchers are advancing sustainable agriculture, clean-water technologies, nanomaterials for energy, equitable urban design, and legal frameworks for climate-resilient cities. These diverse efforts share one common thread: they recognise that social justice, environmental stewardship and technological innovation must progress together.
Technology has already enabled great strides. We are able to generate clean energy from the sun and wind. We can purify heavily contaminated water using advanced materials, but emerging pollutants, PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics continue to ou pace regulation. Upgrading treatment plants requires both new technologies and the energy to power them, and legislation must evolve as fast as science and technology.
Equally important is public awareness. Many citizens remain unaware of how daily actions affect shared resources, whether through wasteful energy use, persistent use of fossil fuels, or discarding chemicals, detergents, cosmetics and plastics that ultimately return to our bodies through water and air. Changing this behaviour is not easy. It demands education, empathy, and sometimes, unpopular decisions.
What gives me optimism is that the expertise to confront these challenges exists here, within our university community. By harnessing our different skills, perspectives, and passions through working beyond traditional boundaries, we can ensure that the basic needs of water and energy are met sustainably, fairly, and for generations to come.
Together, we can build a future where cities thrive, communities are empowered, and development does not come at the expense of the planet that sustains us all.
Early Career Researchers
Forging Futures, Unleashing Discoveries
Empowering Communities Through Solar-Powered Hydroponics (NS PhD)
MR RIDAA MANUEL GREEN NEW WORLD (GNW) & UWC
In partnership with Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA), the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), and Green New World (GNW), are advancing a model of sustainable innovation that unites three Sustainable Development Goals—SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities through the design and installation of solar-powered hydroponic systems across the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
At its core, the project applies research for societal impact by translating laboratory-tested renewable-energy systems, water management, and food production technologies into tangible community solutions. Each system integrates a photovoltaic array, battery storage, efficient irrigation, and food-grade hydroponic structures that recycle the same water through the system. This allows the system to use 90% less water than conventional farming. These off-grid “vertical farms” provide a blueprint for water-secure, climate-resilient urban agriculture, turning underutilised household spaces into yearround food-production hubs.
The project operates as both a living laboratory and a training platform. Engineering students participate in the prototyping, testing and performance monitoring of each installation, while community rightsholders receive handson training in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans on system operation, maintenance and water conservation. This knowledge-exchange model ensures that the science developed within UWC directly benefits surrounding communities, strengthening local capacity for sustainable development.
The initiative specifically targets women-headed and vulnerable households and orphan caregivers, aligning with IRSA’s Integrated Development Programme. Fifty households, twenty-five in each province, will receive fully functional agri-systems and continuous mentorship for six months after installation. Beyond improving food and water security, these systems generate new livelihood opportunities through micro-enterprise development and small-scale produce sales. These systems will therefore not only provide food for the household, but also crops to generate an income.
By coupling renewable energy with efficient food-production technologies, GNW and UWC demonstrate how decentralised infrastructure can transform South African communities from consumers into producers of energy, water and food. The model contributes to reduced municipal
load, lower carbon emissions, and greener, more self-reliant neighbourhoods. It exemplifies how universities can serve as catalysts for innovation that is simultaneously scientific, social and scalable. The initiative embodies UWC’s mission to pursue research for societal impact, applying science to strengthen community resilience and environmental stewardship.
As cities face increasing resource pressures, this collaboration illustrates the potential of researchdriven community engagement to re-imagine sustainability from the ground up, one solarpowered hydroponic system at a time.
This project is part of a much greater vision to provide food, energy, and water for the people of Africa. Through this project, we will not only develop the technologies to achieve this, but also understand the challenges when rolling out these technologies to the less fortunate of Africa. This project is a major step in achieving this greater goal. An increase in funders will allow for more systems to be rolled out. Consequently, this would lead to an expansion into more technologies that provide food, energy, water and other human needs. These are the steps moving forward towards a Greener Africa and towards the Green New World.
Empowering Cities for a Sustainable Future: Legal Pathways Through Climate Governance
MR SIBULELO GANDA
DOCTOR OF LAWS (LLD)
Candidate in the Global Environmental Law Centre at the University of the Western Cape. His ongoing research explores the constitutional and legislative authority of South African municipalities, particularly cities, to participate in global climate governance. While the research focuses primarily on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, it also touches on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, recognising that urban sustainability requires an integrated approach.
Cities are increasingly recognised as both contributors to, and key problem solvers for, climate change. In South Africa, major urban centres like Cape Town are at the forefront of addressing challenges, such as water scarcity, energy transitions, and rapid urbanisation. However, despite their importance, there remain legal uncertainties about the extent to which local government can engage in international climate initiatives and collaborate through networks, such as ICLEI and C40 Cities.
Sibulelo’s research aims to fill this gap by critically examining the legal frameworks that shape municipal climate authority. Using a mixed-methods approach, Sibulelo conducted a doctrinal legal analysis alongside qualitative empirical research, including a series of semi-structured
interviews with municipal officials, policymakers, and subject experts. This will provide valuable insights into how cities interpret, navigate, and potentially expand their legal powers to contribute to sustainable urban development and global climate solutions.
While still in progress, the study aspires to generate practical recommendations for policymakers and legal practitioners. By clarifying the legal landscape, this work seeks to empower South African cities to lead in climate adaptation, clean energy, and sustainable water management, core components of SDG 11 and interconnected SDGs.
Through his research, Sibulelo hopes to support UWC’s commitment to research for societal impact
and to contribute to a future where cities across the Global South are legally and institutionally equipped to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
Green Nanotechnology for Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions
MR SPHAMANDLA
NQUNQA
PHD RESEARCH CANDIDATE
ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Water is one of the most precious natural resources in South Africa, yet its availability is increasingly threatened by pollution and rising demand. Wastewater, generated from households, hospitals, and industries, carries organic, inorganic, and biological pollutants, including pathogens and antibiotics. Alarmingly, around 80% of wastewater worldwide is released into the environment without proper treatment, and by 2036, nearly 60% of people may face water shortages.
The global call for sustainability, reflected in SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy; and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, demands innovative solutions. Sphamandla’s research focuses on electrochemical antibacterial green-synthesised trimetallic nanoparticles for wastewater treatment and dye degradation, providing a direct contribution to these goals.
In his work, he develops trimetallic nanoparticles using onion peel extract as a natural reducing agent, synthesised via a simple sand bath method. These nanoparticles are applied to detect and remove ESKAPE pathogens, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae from wastewater, enhancing water safety and supporting the objectives of SDG 6.
His research also advances energy sustainability by investigating photocatalytic dye degradation using these green-synthesised nanoparticles. This process reduces toxic industrial effluents while enabling energy-efficient purification. The environmentally friendly synthesis method based on plant extract reduction and controlled sand bath heating minimises energy use and avoids hazardous chemicals, directly aligning with SDG 7’s vision of clean and accessible energy.
Sustainable cities depend on resilient water systems. Integrating green nanomaterials into wastewater monitoring and treatment helps create safer urban environments. Detecting pathogens
and degrading dyes in municipal effluents contribute to sustainable water infrastructure and healthier communities, fulfilling the aims of SDG 11.
Overall, his research demonstrates how ecofriendly nanotechnology can improve water quality, reduce energy demand, and strengthen urban sustainability, showing a practical pathway to achieving key global development goals.
Towards Ecological Urbanism: Integrating Nature-Based
Solutions and Urban Green Infrastructure in South African Local Government Law and Policy Instruments
MS ASHLYN DAVIDS
PHD CANDIDATE
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL
LAW CENTRE FACULTY OF LAW
The City of Cape Town is known for its rich biodiversity and diverse ecosystems. However, the expansion of the city places pressure on this biodiversity and the ecosystem services that flow from it. Urbanisation and rapid sprawling have led to a biodiversity crisis in metropolitan areas, including in the City of Cape Town. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) are recognised as critical tools to strengthen urban resilience, mitigate climate risks, and enhance biodiversity conservation. NBS refers to actions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems to address societal challenges, while also providing biodiversity benefits. UGI refers to all natural, semi-natural and artificial networks of multifunctional ecological systems within, around and between urban areas, at all spatial scales and focuses on integrating natural systems and green spaces into the built environment to manage water, air, and other environmental issues. These tools offer ecological and climate co-benefits by embedding natural systems into city infrastructure, such as green roofs, urban wetlands and tree corridors. Yet in South Africa, these approaches remain largely absent from the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern urban development.
South Africa’s biodiversity crisis is occurring despite the existence of a comprehensive environmental and
biodiversity law and policy framework. At the national level, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or wellbeing and that is protected for present and future generations.
Legislation, such as the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA); the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA); and the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), among others, aim to give effect to this constitutional promise.
Importantly, these legal instruments also provide local government with a broad mandate to develop and implement local environmental governance instruments, including Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs); Environmental Management Frameworks (EMFs), and municipal by-laws. This governance role is fundamental in shaping land use, protecting biodiversity, and promoting sustainable development at the local scale.
Ecological urbanism aligns well with South Africa’s constitutional and statutory commitments to sustainable development and environmental justice. Ecological urbanism challenges conventional urban planning by placing nature at the centre of city-making. However, for this vision to materialise, legal and policy frameworks must evolve to make NBS and UGI visible, enforceable, and operational at the municipal level.
This study aims to determine what the options are in law for municipalities to integrate NBS and UGI in their local environmental governance instruments. This research addresses implementation gaps at the intersection of law, urban planning, and biodiversity governance. By developing a legal and governance framework for integrating NBS and UGI within municipal instruments, the study contributes both to academic scholarship and to the urgent practical task of making South African cities more just, sustainable, and ecologically viable. This aligns with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by fostering inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities through ecological benefits.
Nanobiochar-Based Metallic Nanoparticulate Sensors for Clean Water
MS SIPHOKAZI TSHOKO PHD CANDIDATE, NS
Access to safe drinking water is one of the most pressing global challenges of our time. Millions of people, especially in rural and resource-limited communities, are still exposed to unsafe water containing both chemical pollutants and microbial pathogens. Siphokazi’s research contributes to addressing this challenge in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, by developing low-cost, portable and highly sensitive electrochemical sensors for water quality monitoring.
Her study focuses on creating a nanobiochar and silver nanoparticle (AgNPs/NBc) composite that can be used as the active material in electrochemical sensors. Nanobiochar, which is produced from biomass, offers a sustainable platform with a high surface area and excellent conductivity. When combined with silver nanoparticles, the resulting material provides outstanding electrochemical activity, making it ideal for detecting contaminants at very low concentrations.
The sensor developed by Siphokazi is capable of identifying two groups of pollutants that are particularly harmful to human health:
● Toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb² + ), mercury (Hg² + ), copper (Cu²+), and zinc (Zn²); and
● The pathogenic bacterium Escherichia coli O157:H7, a major cause of waterborne diseases and outbreaks of diarrhoea.
Using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in a three-electrode electrochemical system, the sensor demonstrates strong sensitivity,
selectivity, and reproducibility. To enhance biological recognition, the enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST) was immobilised onto the nanocomposite surface, creating a biosensor. This improved the detection of E. coli by allowing the sensor to interact directly with bacterial cells.
What makes this work especially valuable is its practical application. Unlike conventional laboratory methods, which are costly and timeconsuming, this sensor is designed to be affordable, user-friendly, and adaptable for point-of-care testing. This means water samples can be tested quickly on-site, providing immediate information about safety, which is crucial for underserved communities where waterborne diseases are most common. By combining nanotechnology, sustainable carbon materials and enzyme-based biosensing, this research provides an innovative
and scalable solution for clean water monitoring. Beyond addressing SDG 6, the work also connects broader sustainability goals by promoting the use of renewable materials (biochar) and supporting healthier, more resilient communities.
Siphokazi is not only advancing scientific knowledge but also creating tools that make a real difference in people’s lives. Clean water is a basic human right, and science has the responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind.
Interpretation of groundwater modeling scenarios for managed aquifer recharge, Langebaan Road, South Africa
MR ANELKHA NICHOLLS PHD CANDIDATE IN EARTH SCIENCES (HYDROGEOLOGY) - NS
The West Coast District experiences seasonal demand for water as the region is a popular holiday destination. Urbanisation and industrialisation pressure the existing water supply on the West Coast. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a nature-based solution that stores excess surface water in aquifers for later use, supplementing traditional water supplies when demand is high. This means more reliable water for households and industries during dry seasons. MAR strengthens urban water security by reducing the reliance on vulnerable surface water supplies, as evident in the 2015-2017 drought experienced in the Western Cape.
This study, carried out at the University of the Western Cape, demonstrates how groundwater modelling can be used to guide sustainable implementation of MAR in the Langebaan Road Aquifer (LRA) in Langebaan Road. A site-specific conceptual model of groundwater was developed for the LRA using water level measurements, transmissivity estimates and borehole records, among others. The information was spatially interpolated within a geographic information system for data visualisation and management. The conceptualisation revealed north-westerly groundwater flow, limited natural groundwater
recharge and a water table of about three metres below ground across the study area. The conceptual model guided the theoretical siting of production and injection boreholes, which aligned with groundwater contours and hydraulic gradients.
A three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow was developed using MODFLOW-6 to test the response of the aquifer to contrasting MAR configurations. The model was calibrated through iterative adjustment of aquifer parameters until the simulated water levels aligned closely to measured water levels. Validation produced a root mean square error of 4.79%, indicating a good model confidence. The calibrated model provided a reliable basis for testing MAR configurations and optimising abstraction and injection capacities necessary for adequate water supply and sustainable groundwater development.
Three scenarios were simulated: the unmodified natural groundwater system, MAR implementation through injection boreholes and MAR implementation through infiltration ponds. Results suggested that an injection borehole network provided superior operational control and clearer predictions of aquifer response compared to infiltration ponds. The optimised operational envelope for sustainable groundwater utilisation was the abstraction 4 095 m3/day coupled with injection of 2 730 m3/day . This operational envelope would supply water to roughly 5 119 four-person households per day.
Implementation of MAR in Langebaan Road should proceed cautiously and iteratively. Priority actions include staged development of an injection borehole network; refinement of numerical models to better capture hydrogeological processes before large-scale deployment; and establishment of a rigorous monitoring framework. Monitoring should track groundwater levels, water quality indicators, and aquifer response to injection and abstraction. Data should also be used for periodic model recalibration and operational adjustments. Involving farmer forums and municipalities in the monitoring of groundwater will build local capacity and ensure MAR responds to community needs.
By converting groundwater model outputs into clear operational recommendations, this research demonstrates how hydrogeology can inform feasible MAR interventions that contribute to SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Sustainable implementation will require technical vigilance, stakeholder engagement and integration of MAR within broader regional water-resource planning to ensure equitable, long-term benefits for the West Coast District.
Mid-Career Researchers
Elevating Expertise, Nuturing Leadership
Centering the Lived Experiences of Communities in Just Urban Transitions
DR CHRISTINA CULWICK FATTI SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE POLITICS AND URBAN GOVERNANCE RESEARCH GROUP (PUG)
There is a growing body of research into climate resilience and sustainability in Africa, including work on technological innovations and community-based adaptation strategies. However, most climate studies still rely on traditional research methods, such as data modelling, surveys and interviews. While valuable, these methods often fail to capture the complex emotions, strategies and lived experiences of those most affected by climate change. Innovative methods offer important platforms to amplify the voices and experiences of communities most vulnerable to climate change impacts, who are also often excluded from both policy decisionmaking processes and traditional research.
UWC’s Politics and Urban Governance (PUG) Research Group is currently leading two research projects that aim to build a better understanding of how residents and business owners in lowincome areas access basic services. The first, an NRF-funded Governing the Just Urban Transition project, explores how small businesses in informal settlements in Alexandra (Johannesburg) and Khayelitsha (Cape Town) secure access to water and energy. This project draws on a range of methods, including PhotoVoice, which is a participatory research method that uses photography to tell
stories and share experiences. In this project, business owners were asked to take photographs of their everyday experiences and strategies for ensuring access to water and energy for their businesses.
The second project, Caring for the Other Half: Strengthening sanitation governance to improve menstrual health in urban informal settlements, which is funded by the Matariki Network of Universities, focuses on how publicly provided sanitation affects menstrual health in urban informal settlements. In this project, we are asking women in Khayelitsha to share, through PhotoVoice, their experiences of menstruation and publicly provided sanitation.
These projects not only enable participants to shape and actively participate in the research process, but these projects also deliberately create spaces to empower participants with opportunities to tell their stories directly to government officials and other power-holders through PhotoVoice exhibitions. Such participatory spaces that support inclusive debate are critical for centring the needs and aspirations of low-income communities in sustainability transitions.
The urban poor bear a disproportionate burden of climate change impacts and environmental resource constraints, and there is a significant risk that sustainability transitions could deepen inequality and leave marginalised groups behind.
A core aim of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to improve multidimensional wellbeing, particularly for poor and marginalised communities, while fostering environmental sustainability. Through PUG’s participatorybased research, UWC is actively helping to build a grounded understanding of how the lived experiences of the people who stand to face the worst impacts of environmental crises can inform efforts to alleviate poverty while responding to climate and environmental crises. These efforts reaffirm UWC’s role as a university deeply engaged in addressing inequality and sustainability through collaborative, community-driven research.
Leading Researchers (REAL)
Innovate, Collaborate, Lead: Shaping Excellence Together
Low-dimensional Materials
for Sustainable Technologies
PROF CHRISTOPHER ARENDSE
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS & ASTRONOMYNANO-MICRO MANUFACTURING FACILITY
UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE
Two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene and MXenes, have emerged as a transformative class of materials in condensed matter physics and electronics due to their exceptional optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Their atomic-scale thickness and tunable characteristics make them ideal for applications ranging from electricity generation and energy storage to flexible electronics and smart sensors.
However, to realise their full potential in practical technologies, it is essential to develop scalable deposition techniques that allow for the growth of uniform, high-quality films over large areas. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is at the forefront of this effort, allowing for the seamless integration of 2D materials into practical devices and infrastructure. Scalable deposition is therefore not only a technical challenge; it is a critical step toward translating laboratory discoveries into impactful solutions for global sustainability and innovation.
Professor Christopher Arendse, in the Department of Physics & Astronomy and co-director of the Electrochemical Sensors Node of the Nano-Micro Manufacturing Facility at UWC, has made significant contributions to this research effort with over two decades of experience in the scalable growth of nanomaterials and thin films for sustainable technologies. Recently, he developed a novel chemical
vapour deposition (CVD) method to improve both the performance and environmental stability of a promising 2D material, referred to as quasi-2D perovskites. This material has drawn widespread attention in the renewable energy sector, as its power conversion efficiency now matches that of conventional silicon-based solar cells. Traditional methods for producing thin-film perovskites rely on solvent-based liquid processing, which makes the films prone to degradation when exposed to air. Additionally, the material suffers from a temperature-induced structural transformation, which limits its performance under practical operating conditions. The newly developed CVD method of Professor Arendse addresses both challenges by stabilising the structure of the perovskite over a wide temperature range, thereby making the perovskite resilient to air exposure, which is an essential improvement for its use in solar cell applications. This advancement directly supports SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy by enabling more stable and efficient solar technologies.
The enhanced excitonic properties of the 2D perovskites also make them attractive for application in environmental monitoring and biosensing, where
conventional inorganic materials often fall short. Professor Arendse is utilising the unique properties of quaisi-2D perovskites to develop optical sensors that can detect water contaminants on-site. His aim is to make these sensors more accurate and responsive, while keeping them affordable and easy to use, without relying on complex and expensive technology.
This development aligns well with SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation through its applicability in the detection of metal contaminants in water. By merging cutting-edge science with real-world applications, the research into 2D materials is paving the way for cleaner, smarter, and more energy-efficient technologies, contributing meaningfully to the creation of sustainable cities and communities in line with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Powering a Green New World
PROF BERNARD
J. BLADERGROEN
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SAIAMC, HEAD OF THE ENERGY STORAGE INNOVATION LABORATORY, HEAD OF FLUID TREATMENT CENTRE
Energy is the lifeblood of modern civilisation. Access to affordable, reliable power enables every aspect of human progress, from education and healthcare to food production and communication. Over the past decade, the rapid fall in renewable-energy and energystorage costs, combined with steep electricity price increases in South Africa, has created an unprecedented opportunity to reshape our energy landscape. Within this context, the Green New World (GNW) initiative at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) represents a transformative model for sustainable development.
The GNW demonstrates how innovation, grounded in financial viability, can deliver social justice through technology. Unlike traditional inventions that often require continuous subsidies, innovation in the GNW sense is about ideas that make economic sense, solutions that pay for themselves while creating meaningful work. The project brings the principles of the Just Energy Transition to life by combining low-tech jobs within high-tech environments, enabling inclusive participation in the green economy.
At its heart lies an Agrivoltaic (AgriPV) system farming beneath solar panels that generate electricity while protecting crops from heat and water stress. This integrated model produces clean
energy, sustainable food, and efficient water use on the same piece of land. The GNW also extends across the Green Hydrogen value chain, from water electrolysis and ammonia synthesis to e-mobility and cold-chain applications. Together, these technologies form a living demonstration of how renewable energy can decarbonise agriculture, potentially making it carbon negative as crops naturally absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Beyond technology, GNW embodies UWC’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides a multidisciplinary research and training platform that links chemistry, physics, food science, economics, computer science, education and social sciences. Students and researchers gain hands-on experience with systems that balance water, energy, and food—preparing a new generation of innovators to tackle Africa’s sustainability challenges.
As head of the Energy Storage Innovation Laboratory and Deputy Director of the South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry, Professor Bladergroen spent the past two decades developing water purification technologies, batteries, electrolysers, and clean-energy systems that bridge research and real-world application. Through national and international collaborations, including the DSTI Energy Storage RDI Flagship Programme, LEAP-RE and the Horizon Europe AgriCOOL project, the team is showing that green innovation in Africa can be both scientifically excellent and socially transformative.
The Green New World is more than a project; it is a living laboratory, proof of a concept for a sustainable, inclusive, and profitable future. By aligning innovation with affordability and social impact, UWC is demonstrating that a just green transition is no longer just a vision in a crystal ball.
Contribution to SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
PROF EMERITUS
LESLIE PETRIK
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, NS
Emeritus Professor Leslie Petrik has received numerous awards, such as the Water Legends Award of the Water Research Commission of South Africa for her contribution to research focused on clean water and sanitation. Her research has shown that the presence in wastewater of emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, endocrine disruptors, personal care products, and perfluorinated substances discharged into the environment, remains a great threat to the health and safety of humans and aquatic species. Their recalcitrance and circumvention of nearly all current wastewater treatment procedures are well documented. These pollutants have been detected in the marine environment, surface water, groundwater, and even drinking water at nano to microgram per litre concentration. These pollutants are highly persistent, toxic and difficult to remove by mere biological treatment or the exploitation of individual treatment processes, due to inherent challenges with respect to efficiency and economics.
Her team’s studies have shown that combined advanced oxidation technologies, which involve the generation of numerous free radicals’ reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, atomic oxygen, ozone radical ion, hydroperoxyl radical, and superoxide anion, among others, can oxidise recalcitrant
organic contaminants to their inert end products. Processes such as di-electric barrier discharge, or hydrodynamic cavitation, thus offer significant promise to degrade and safely remove these contaminants from drinking water and effluents without producing residual sludges.
Her studies have also shown that treatment of metal-contaminated acid mine drainage with coal fly ash provides a low-cost alternative technique for treating copious mine wastewaters to remove metals and ions such as sulphate in a patented process. Moreover, high-value zeolites, made from the waste fly ash, have also found application in metal adsorption and treatment of contaminated mine effluents as well as brines.
Her studies have further revealed that the use of electrospun nanofibres in metal ion adsorption holds great potential in advancing the growth
of metallurgical technologies for the separation of metallic ions, including rare earth elements, from various sources. Selective adsorption on functionalised nanofibers is possible, due to their large surface area to volume ratio and the choice of a wide variety of chemical and morphological modification methods. These and other innovative approaches to water treatment and prevention of sewage contamination have been widely reported in the media on radio, in the press, films, YouTube, workshops and conferences, as well as via numerous articles in journal publications.
WHAT IS GOAL 6 –CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being. Billions of people will lack access to these basic services in 2030 unless progress quadruples. Demand for water is rising owing to rapid population growth, urbanization and increasing water needs from agriculture, industry, and energy sectors.
The demand for water has outpaced population growth, and half the world’s population is already experiencing severe water scarcity at least one month a year. Water scarcity is projected to increase with the rise of global temperatures as a result of climate change.
Investments in infrastructure and sanitation facilities; protection and restoration of waterrelated ecosystems; and hygiene education are among the steps necessary to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, and improving water-use efficiency is one key to reducing water stress.
There has been positive progress. Between 2015 and 2022, the proportion of the world's population with access to safely managed drinking water increased from 69 per cent to 73 per cent.
WHY?
Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a human right. To get back on track, key strategies include increasing sector-wide investment and capacity-building, promoting innovation and evidence-based action, enhancing cross-sectoral coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders, and adopting a more integrated and holistic approach to water management.
Water is essential not only to health, but also to poverty reduction, food security, peace and human rights, ecosystems and education. Nevertheless, countries face growing challenges linked to water scarcity, water pollution, degraded water-related ecosystems and cooperation over transboundary water basins.
WHAT IS GOAL 6 –CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
In 2022, 2.2 billion people still lacked safely managed drinking water, including 703 million without a basic water service; 3 5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation, including 1.5 billion without basic sanitation services; and 2 billion lacked a basic handwashing facility, including 653 million with no handwashing facility at all
By managing our water sustainably, we a re also able to better manage our production of food and energy and contribute to decent work and economic growth. Moreover, we can preserve our water ecosystems, their biodiversity, and take action on climate change.
ARE WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGED LINKED?
Water availability is becoming less predictable in many places In some regions, droughts are exacerbating water scarcity and thereby negatively impacting people’s health and productivity and threatening sustainable development and biodiversity worldwide.
Ensuring that everyone has access to sustainable water and sanitation services is a critical climate change mitigation strategy for the years ahead.
Without better infrastructure and management, millions of people will continue to die every year from water-related diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea, and there will be further losses in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, undermining prosperity and efforts towards a more sustainable
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Civil society organizations should work to keep governments accountable, invest in water research and development, and promote the inclusion of women, youth and indigenous communities in water resources governance.
Generating awareness of these roles and turning them into action will lead to win-win results and increased sustainability and integrity for both human and ecological systems.
You can also get involved in the World Water Day and World Toilet Day campaigns that aim to provide information and inspiration to take action on hygiene issues.
To find out more about Goal #6 and the other Sustainable Development Goals, visit: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment
WHAT IS GOAL 7 –AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Goal 7 is about ensuring access to clean and affordable energy, which is key to the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare and transportation.
The world continues to advance towards sustainable energy targets – but not fast enough At the current pace, about 660 million people will still lack access to electricity and close to 2 billion people will still rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking by 2030.
Our everyday life depends on reliable and affordable energy And yet the consumption of energy is the dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
From 2015 to 2021, the proportion of the global population with access to electricity has increased from 87 per cent to 91 per cent
Ensuring universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 means investing in clean energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean energy in all developing countries is a crucial goal that can both encourage growth and help the environment.
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT THIS GOAL?
A well-established energy system supports all sectors: from businesses, medicine and education to agriculture, infrastructure, communications and high technology.
Access to electricity in poorer countries has begun to accelerate, energy efficiency continues to improve, and renewable energy is making impressive gains. Nevertheless, more focused attention is needed to improve access to clean and safe cooking fuels and technologies for 2.3 billion people.
For many decades, fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas have been major sources of electricity production, but burning carbon fuels produces large amounts of greenhouse gases which cause climate change and have
WHAT IS GOAL 7 –AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
harmful impacts on people’s well-being and the environment. This affects everyone, not just a few. Moreover, global electricity use is rising rapidly. In a nutshell, without a stable electricity supply, countries will not be able to power their economies.
Without electricity, women and girls have to spend hours fetching water, clinics cannot store vaccines for children, many schoolchildren can not do homework at night, and people cannot run competitive businesses Slow progress towards clean cooking solutions is of grave global concern, affecting both human health and the environment, and if we don’t meet our goal by 2030, nearly a third of the world’s population – mostly women and children – will continue tobe exposed to harmful household air pollution.
To ensure access to energy for all by 2030, we must accelerate electrification, increase investments in renewable energy, improve energy efficiency and develop enabling policies and regulatory frameworks.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES TO LACK OF ACCESS TO ENERGY?
Energy services are key to preventing disease and fighting pandemics – from powering healthcare facilities and supplying clean water for essential hygiene, to enabling
water for essential hygiene, to enabling communications and IT services that connect people while maintaining social distancing.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIX THESE ISSUES?
Countries can accelerate the transition to an affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy system by investing in renewable energy resources, prioritizing energy efficient practices, and adopting clean energy technologies and infrastructure.
Businesses can maintain and protect ecosystems and commit to sourcing 100% of operational electricity needs from renewable sources.
Employers can reduce the internal demand for transport by prioritizing telecommunications and incentivize less energy intensive modes such as train travel over auto and air travel Investors can invest more in sustainable energy services, bringing new technologies to the market quickly from a diverse supplier base
You can save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use, including your computer. You can also bike, walk or take public transport to reduce carbon emissions.
To find out more about Goal #7 and other Sustainable Development Goals, visit: https://www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment
WHAT IS GOAL 11 - SUSTAINABLE CITIES?
Goal 11 is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Cities represent the future of global living. The world’s population reached 8 billion on 2022 over half living in urban areas. This figure is only expected to rise, with 70 per cent of people expected to live in cities by 2050. Approximately 1.1 billion people currently live in slums or slum-like conditions in cities, with 2 billion more expected in the next 30 years.
However many of these cities are are not ready for this rapid urbanisation, and it outpaces the development of housing, infrastructure and services, which led to a rise in slums or slum-like conditions.
Urban sprawl, air pollution and limited open public spaces persist in cities.
Good progress has been made since the implementation of the SDGs in 2015, and now the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies has doubled. But issues still remain and in 2022, only half of the urban population had convenient access to public transport.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way urban spaces are built and managed.
WHY ARE CITIES NOT FUTURE PROOF YET?
Most of the urban growth is taking place in small cities and intermediate towns, exacerbating inequalities and urban poverty
In 2020, an estimated 1.1 billion urban residents lived in slums or slum-like conditions, and over the next 30 years, an additional 2 billion people are expected to live in such settlements, mostly in developing countries
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES CITIES ARE FACING?
Inequality and the levels of urban energy consumption and pollution are some of the challenges Cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.
WHAT IS GOAL 11 - SUSTAINABLE CITIES?
Many cities are also more vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters due to their high concentration of people and location so building urban resilience is crucial to avoid human, social and economic losses
HOW DOES IT AFFECT ME?
All these issues will eventually affect every citizen. Inequality can lead to unrest and insecurity, pollution deteriorates everyone’s health and affects workers’ productivity and therefore the economy, and natural disasters have the potential to disrupt everyone’s lifestyles. Air pollution caused affecting the health of millions is not only an urban problem, but is also affecting towns and rural areas
WHAT HAPPENS IF CITIES ARE JUST LEFT TO GROW ORGANICALLY?
The cost of poorly planned urbanization can be seen in some of the huge slums, tangled traffic, greenhouse gas emissions and sprawling suburbs all over the world.
By choosing to act sustainably we choose to build cities where all citizens live a decent quality of life, and form a part of the city’s productive dynamic, creating shared prosperity and social stability without harming the environment
IS IT EXPENSIVE TO PUT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN PLACE?
The cost is minimal in comparison with the benefits. For example, there is a cost to creating a functional public transport network, but the benefits are huge in terms of economic activity, quality of life, the environment, and the overall success of a networked city.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?
Take an active interest in the governance and management of your city. Advocate for the kind of city you believe you need.
Develop a vision for your building, street, and neighbourhood, and act on that vision. Are there enough jobs? Can your children walk to school safely? Can you walk with your family at night? How far is the nearest public transport? What’s the air quality like? What are your shared public spaces like? The better the conditions you create in your community, the greater the effect on quality of life.
To find out more about Goal #11 and other Sustainable Development Goals, visit: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment
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Contact: Tamara Goliath (tgoliath@uwc.ac.za) Writer, DVC: Research & Innovation Office
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